FIRE AT OPAKI

Wairarapa Daily Times, 18 November 1935, Page 4

FIRE AT OPAKI

RESIDENCE DESTROYED. On Saturday night, at 10.45 o’clock, an alarm was sounded on the fire be 11 at Masterton, an outbreak of fire having occurred at the house of Mr B. Burgess, in Opaki Road. The Masterton Fire Brigade arrived on the scene within five minutes of the alarm being received by telephone, but the house, a six-roomed wooden structure, was then enveloped in flames, and the roof fell in almost immediately after the arrival of the brigade.,Although the house was situated within the borough, the town water supply does not extend that far, and consequently the efforts of the brigade were very considerably restricted. It was a hopeless case from the start, however, and even had there been a fire-plug in front of the house, it is doubtful whether the brigade, in view of the progress the flames had made, could have done much to. save the building. As it was, nothing was saved, and it is understood that Mr i Burgess is a heavy loser. Good work was done by the brigade in preventing the outbreak from spreading to the adjoining stables and outbuildings. The cause of the outbreak is not known. Mr and Mrs Burgess were away in Christchurch at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting, and Mrs Burgess’s mother, Mrs Glen, an elderly lady, was the only occupant of the house. Mr E. Burgess, who was sleeping in a wliare at the rear of the house, was awakened by Mrs Glen. ;The fire was then well under way, and it was impossible to get near the building on account of the heat and! showers of sparks. Valuable racing cups, trophies’ and mementoes were lost in the fire.